Pursuing specifics about HQComZ Provost Marshal records, and VIP visits to Normandy July-Aug 1944

Hi,
1. I'm Tom Zarnock
2. 40-something. I've been interested in WW2 since middle school, given my grandfather was a veteran. At the time, I was more interested in the tanks; built models and drew them. I didn't ask my grandfather enough questions, and he didn't volunteer much. :-(
3. Origins: NY, and living in Northern Virginia
4. Specifics: I have for the last 9 months been on a research surge regarding my grandfather's service following rediscovery of a handful of wartime photos of his, taken in the US and France.
He was an MP and Motorcycle Scout with the 287th MP Co (PC&S) for the majority of his overseas service.
I shared the France photos with Flickr/PhotosNormandie and that group helped me greatly, findings locations of the photos and providing unit history. I have his separation paper (the "last unit" was wrong)

I also went the official records research route:
A) Hired a researcher at St Louis to trace his unit assignments in the Morning Reports, fully and successfully!
B) I visited the Army's Military Heritage Center in Carlisle Barracks, obtaining the abbreviated Unit Histories from their microfilm, and some excerpts from 6th Armored Division, where photo evidence shows he followed behind them at some point during their initial 28-30 July 1944 breakout south along the coast through Coutances, Quettreville-Sur-Seine and Granville.
C) I visited NARA II in College Park, obtaining some additional information about the 287th and 294th MP Cos.
D) I took advantage of FOLD3.COM's gracious D-DAY 70th Anniversary "open-house" where they dropped the paywall and made the NARA RG498 COMZ / ETOUSA records available. If I need, I can make another trip to College Park to look up specific items but it has to be focused; I gotta work and maintain a home!

5. So, I have obtained a great amount of detail; all the basic information and lots more, to produce a thorough paper/presentation for my family about his military service. But I am an analyst and apparently the family archivist and a bulldog. I am pursuing some more obscure details and hope someone on the forum can help.

SUMMARY: The 287th MP Co. (PC&S) was one of a few MP Companies that provided security for HQ, Forward Echelon COMZ at Valognes on the Cotentin Peninsula (actually on 2 Chateau estates outside the destroyed city), arriving in France 14 JUL. This work continued for its parent command HQ COMZ when that group moved from England to France on 7 AUG and absorbed FECOMZ. They all moved to Paris on 14 SEP 44. He finished the war there and beyond, from JUN to OCT 45 with the 294th MP Co assigned to Seine Section. Apparently he would have been among the REMF's that frontline infantry hated. Oh well. My grandfather's unit would have been security and VIP escort for GEN John C.H. Lee and some of his high-ranking visitors, such as Patton and high ranking Roosevelt Admin. officials (I'll mention later). He also at times was involved with POW handling, probably to help transfer them from the combat unit MPs to the rear holding areas.

Why I'm here = to ask Questions: to possibly help me get some insights:
- To what extent "he was with Patton", when the unit never officially was?, and
- While he was based in the Cotentin Peninsula, what purpose had him 50 miles south at Granville?


<EDIT> Based on advice, I've re-posted my specific questions in the other section "Military Service Records & Genealogical Research"

Thanks, and Glad to be aboard!
Tom

 

Welcome to the forums!

 

Welcome to the Forum, Tom. Great first post. I'm impressed at all the research you have done so far. Especially the trips to College Park and Carlisle!

We have some very smart members who don't follow the new members section. You may want to pose your questions in one or both of the following sections: Military Service Records & Genealogical Research OR Information Requests

It may be a good idea to do more than one post to keep the discussion focused. However, don't post the same question twice even if in separate sections. (Obviously, this thread is the exception to that. )

Again, welcome!